BDMX 8023 Report Format Briefing for DBA Students Dr Ajay Chauhan Professor OYAGSB May 16, 2015

Introduction

 In the real corporate world or government organizations, we always deal with the cases  Hence, a problem solving case analysis is as important as research or perhaps more important as it commands immediate applicability  The whole idea is to give a practical experience of decision making  By writing a case from a neutral stand, the students can learn to see all sides to a decision. Rationale of a Case Study

Teaching Cases and Research Cases Teaching/ Learning Cases:  facilitate training, knowledge- sharing  have a story line that reader can get immersed in and relate to  highlight practical applications of theory  reflect the ambiguity of the situation and need not have a single outcome, the intent being to create a dialogue, encourage critical thinking and lead to research and evaluation of recommendations. Research Cases:  An in depth look at a particular situation, event, entity.  A methodology used to inform quantitative research findings/ identify areas where more quantitative analysis is needed.  Associated with qualitative research, ethnography, field study, and participant observation

In both cases you should:  Have a case study protocol  Collect relevant information  Ensure you have correct documentation  Follow the format provided by OYAGSB  Get permission letters Teaching Cases and Research Cases

1.Learning/ Research Objectives. 2.Identify Case Lead through documents, interviews, observations. 3.Establish which documents/ people you will need access and gain access. 4.Collect information on case through further documents, interviews, observation. 5.Write case and get permission to publish. 6.Report in the format provided by OYAGSB Keep the key steps in mind

OYAGSB  Supervisor may convert it into a publication if your case is good.  The case may be published in UUM/Other publications  The case may be used in UUM Classrooms  The student will be named as the joint author Benefits  It can make the student first time authors  The student can benefit from the expertise of supervisor  The guidance provided by supervisor in writing the case can be useful in learning  The student resume will be better with a quality publication Usage of Case Report

 Past tense  Identify and establish an issue/problem which can be used to teach/ explore a concept or theory  The opening paragraph :  WHO is the main protagonist?  WHO is the key decision maker?  WHAT is the nature of the issue/problem?  WHEN did the case take place? Specify the date line in this paragraph.  WHERE did the case take place; what organization?  WHY did the issue/problem arise? Writing the case

 Body of the Case  Tell the whole story - usually in a chronological order  It typically contains general background on macro environment, organisational background, and the details of the specific issue(s) faced.  Tell more than one side to the story so that readers can think of competing alternatives.  Concluding Paragraph  Provide a short synthesis of the case to reiterate the main issues, or even to raise new questions. General structure of the case OYAGSB Guidelines

1.Should be a case not a story 2.Should tackle a relevant and important issue 3.Voyage of discovery 4.Controversy 5.Contrast and compare 6.Currently useful generalizations 7.Data to tackle not solve the problem 8.Personal touch 9.Well structured and easy to read 10.Pertinent topic What makes a good Case Report?

 Written as a research article not a case  Submitting a case that is hypothetical  “Taking sides”  Not following instructions – OYAGSB guidelines.  Case does not adequately suit the teaching/ learning objectives it sets out to achieve.  Lack of permission documentation from organisation. Common mistakes in case writing

1.Write a Case synopsis 2.Have the Target audience in mind 3.Clear case objectives 4.Introduction is important where protagonist is introduced 5.History and current status of organization and industry helps understand the background 6.Identify the case issues 7.Provide suggested solutions to those issues based on some theory 8.Supporting material – worksheets, links to videos, readings, reference material, etc. A few tips

Plagiarism and referencing  Plagiarism should be avoided by the students. For more general information visit  OYAGSB checks the plagiarism through Turnitin.Com. The supervisor would provide more information.  It is good to acknowledge the sources. This refers to citation and the references. The citation and referencing should follow APA6 style. For more general information visit APA6 Guidelines

Discussion and Queries